The Motley Fool’s Rick Aristotle Munarriz today suggests “a mercy killing for the Zune.”
Munarriz asks, “Now that even GameStop is getting out of the Zune-selling business, isn’t it just a matter of time before the player itself becomes a museum piece?”
GameStop may not seem like an apt yardstick for the Zune’s fortunes, but consider this:
• GameStop sells a ton of Xbox 360 systems and games, so it’s a hotbed of Microsoft fans.
• The chain proudly sells used games and gear. If a company would rather stock dusty copies of Madden ’06 than a Zune, what does that tell you?
• The company noted during yesterday’s conference call that gross margins on the hardware side slid this past quarter, based on the move to discontinue Zunes. If Zunes are doing so poorly that GameStop would rather be moving hardware with lower margins, they must have really been collecting dust.
• With stand-alone CD shops disappearing, GameStop is a good retail gauge of the pulse of music-loving youth.
Munarriz writes, “Apple is looking to move five times as many of its pricey iPhones this year than all the Zunes Microsoft has sold to date… I get why Microsoft wants to bury the iPod. The player’s success created a halo effect, winning over Mac converts. They’re using Mac’s operating system over Windows, surfing on Safari instead of Explorer, and not necessarily relying on Microsoft Office, even though it’s popular and available for the Mac.”
“Unfortunately, there comes a point when persistence becomes embarrassment… When you’ve worn out your welcome with small-box GameStop shops and their audience of Xbox fanboys, it’s probably time for a change of Zunery,” Munarriz explains.
More fun in the full article here.
CNBC’s Jim Goldman, interviewed Steve Jobs back in January: “I told Jobs that I had sat down with Microsoft’s Robbie Bach last week at the Consumer Electronics Show. I mentioned that Bach was particularly optimistic about the new Zune, that it was now a worthy alternative to Apple’s iPod. Asked Jobs: ‘Was he inebriated? Do you even know anyone who owns a Zune?'”
The only way Zune can remain alive is if it morphs into X-Box portable. But they’re already too late to that party with the iPhone/Touch apps about to come out…
“No hammer will be necessary, ChrissyOne, unless you’re talking about putting your crappy I-Phone out of its misery. I’ve enjoyed every minute of the magnificent Zune ride for the past 18 months, thank you, and it keeps getting better. Who saw Microsoft implementing ads on the Zune? Nobody. Another revolutionary innovation from the masters in Redmond. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
I have FM, squirting, points, ads, and brown. How about you I-Pod lemmings? No? How does it feel for you I-Pod losers to get your ass kicked every day by Zune?”
One of your finest yet. 😀
Actually, MS only sold “three” Zunes, the others were given away as promotional items.
PS: One of the three sold was returned for refund.
@Raymond in DC: Writes Think, “a decade from now, college marketing classes will have the one day “How not to make a ZUNE mistake”” It reminds me of a Simpsons episode where a series of buffoonish, clumsy actions by our favorite dolt each somehow succeeded. It was popularly called “pulling a Homer”. Given Microsoft’s serial failures, maybe it’ll come to be known as “pulling a Zune”.
It’ll be synonymous to “jumping the shark”. Remember that one?
Techcrunch has a great headline. LOL
Deathwatch: GameStop Dumps the Zune Because Nobody Wants It
@ PZ’sD
I concur. That was elegant, ZT.
Go visit zunescene.com for an idea of how popular the Zune is. Based on what I’ve seen there, there are easily hundreds of Zune owners around. And they all seem to love their Zune and hate anything Apple. Oh, and they’re currently talking about new models and a European release. With its availability in Europe, the number of actual users could climb into the thousands. I think it will be a long, long time before the Zune is euthanized.
@Zune Tang
You are my hero. You’re right, of course. Killing the Zune would be redundant.
@ Sloop John B
Be careful. Zune Tang will get jealous.
“… easily hundreds of Zune owners…,””… could climb into the thousands.”
Stop. Stop. I can’t breathe.
More and more people are just fed up with M$.
Now that there are viable and healthy alternatives, people are beginning to realize that on the cheap and poorly made is not always of benefit.
As I have said a few times before, the net is creating a new generation of informed people that will seek answers.
We have consumers that are fed up with plain old junk.
@ChrissyOne
Elegant?
Typical smug word usage you’d expect from a MAC lemming—and I have to say I’m more than a little offended. ‘Elegant’ is a word you might use to describe your overpriced, proprietary MACs or I-Pods.
If you want to butter me up say my comment was unrefined and ugly. Us Windows and Zune enthusiasts find the
” rel=”nofollow”>lack of sophistication and unfashionable nature of Microsoft’s products very appealing.
Your potential. Our passion.™
Bravo! Your writing is truly elite.
Ugh.
Your potential. Our passion.™
My God Zune Tang, you’re a genius.
@JohnB
Wow, I visited that website and spent a few minutes on the forums. I’m surprised that there are that there are that many delusional people in this world. One post said, “The only for Apple to catch up to Microsoft is to install Windows.” [CoughBScough]
@John B
You failed to point out the hundred of users who has given up on Zune, and switched to iPods/Touch. They still post there and usually pisses off the others. Specially when a moderator switches away from Zune. Now thats funny stuff. LOL
So much style. So much taste.
I still haven’t seen one person with a Zune, not one! I even asked my students and they haven’t seen anyone with one either.
Forget about discontinuing the Zune. Who would notice anyway? I think that people should discontinue saying that “Microsoft has a lot of smart people working for it”. There has been no evidence of that for years!
the only Zune that I have seen was at Fry’s and it was not even the real thing, it was just a empty shell.
So when the Zune gets discontinued, I guess that means no more Zune Tang. Whooh hooo…
MS your copy-cat days are numbered.
MW: figures
Ballmer’s face is the last thing on the planet I’d want to save.
Jobs asked the same question I always ask. I just go up to tech savvy ppl I know and I ask a) If they have a Zune and b) do they have a Zune?
I have yet to get a yes.
just my $0.02
Anyone remember that moron that was on Digg who had a Zune tattoo on his arm. What’s that idiot going to feel like in a year when even Microsoft wipes their hand sof this abomination?
Microsoft needs to focus on getting a version of Windows released that people actually want to pay for separately, instead of relying “sales” of Vista that come with new PCs by default.
Things like Zune and the Yahoo merger are self-induced distractions, because Microsoft knows Windows has hit a brick wall. There’s not enough “innovation” or even motivation left at Microsoft to do what needs to be done with Windows.
MS copies EVERYTHING ;